Towards His Final Fight
by SamwiseAtHeart
Summary: In the hours before he leaves for his last fight with Dixon, Rocky visits Adrian's grave. With a small talk and a little help from her, he is able to find the Eye of the Tiger and find the courage to be able to let the beast inside him out.


I hope that you all enjoy this little scene that I couldn't get out of my head. If you have a moment of time, I'd love to hear your feedback on this. Thanks and enjoy.

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**Towards His Final Fight**

"Yo Adrian. I'm here." The dark haired figure said quietly as he approached the spot that he usually spent most of his spare time, and set up his folding chair. He hadn't been there all that much in the last couple months though. Since he had begun training for the upcoming fight against Dixon, training's almost all that he did.

"Balboa vs. Dixon" was the big fight that everyone was talking about since it was between an iconic legend from yesteryear and the world champion today. The fight was three days away, and Rocky was just hours away from leaving for Las Vegas where it was going to take place. But right now, the Italian Stallion was where he wanted to be, and with whom he had always been with before a fight… He was with his wife.

The quiet atmosphere in the cemetery hadn't changed at all in the couple months he had been scarcely there. It was still silent, and all those gravestones stood tall, looking over the people that were buried beneath them, and over those living who visited them, creating an air of peace.

Rocky placed the dozen red roses he was holding gently upon his wife's headstone with a kiss and sat down upon the creaky folding chair with a sigh.

With his full brown eyes, Rocky looked upon the carved letters of his beloved wife's name with a steady but sad gaze. "Adrian, I really miss you today… I been thinkin' about what you might be thinkin' about all this…" He said, referring to the fight that was coming up.

Rocky sighed and looked down at the patch of grass beneath the stone, and remembered how much Adrian had opposed him to fighting again after defeating Drago. He wondered if she would oppose this new fight like she did the ones he never fought after the Russian. His thoughts turned away from that one though, cut off by better memories.

He remembered how much Adrian had supported him all through out the years, and how she had always been there to help him with his training for all his fights. She was always there helping… always there supporting. She was always there watching and caring… She had seen every one of his fights… She hadn't ever missed a fight… Never… None… Not one.

He looked back up at the elegant script of her name, his dark eyes full of emotion. "I hope you're prouda me, Adrian."

He breathed in hard, biting his lip trying not to get too emotional…. "Its been tough ya know… me bein' here and you not bein' here. You made everythin' good.

Rocky chuckled sadly. "You've always made everythin' good. When things were tough with the kid when I screwed up, you did it. Like with the mess with Tommy Gunn, you was there ta help me find the home team again. Ya done it so many times more'n that I can't even count."

"And ya did it again Adrian. You made good even with you not here. You fixed our family when I screwed up."

Rocky was referring to the conversation that happened several weeks ago between him and his son in that very same spot. He and Robert Jr. had lost sight of the home team sometime over the last couple years and had drifted apart.

When Robert appeared there in the cemetery, it was a shock, but something about this encounter was strangely different. Rocky and Robert both felt more open and relaxed, more like they were when Adrian was there with them.

Rocky had been sitting in his chair by Adrian's grave thinking, and then Robert walked up. It was there that things changed. They had both come to that spot above Adrian's grave, and in moments, they had started talking about stuff they hadn't talked about in years, and more importantly, Robert showed that he would support his father. Rocky Jr. was going to help his namesake in this upcoming fight! There just had to have been some kind of intervention for that to have happened. And it happened right there where Adrian was…

"You helped bring the kid an' me together again."

--

The boxer's voice changed to a more matter of fact like tone. "He's been helping me train now you know. Him and Duke. I been training for a fight Adrian."

Rocky paused for a moment, and studied the mud that recently appeared on his left shoe, letting his last sentence sink in for a short time. He looked back up towards the grave when he thought enough time had passed.

"… Hey, I gotta tell you somethin', and its somethin' that's gotta do with this fight." The dark gaze of Rocky's eyes went from the engraved name up to the roses lying atop the stone. He wasn't focused on the petals or buds, but rather on the sharp thorns that stuck out from the stems.

"There's somethin' inside me Adrian… a… a beast. And I need to do this so I can get it out." Rocky shook his head.

"It's gotta get out Adrian, The beast is eating me up inside… like a… a cancer an' I can't do it no more." He turned his head and forced his voice not to crack though it threatened to. She had died from cancer…

Rocky cleared his throat, and his gaze moved back up to the velvet red petals. Imagining that they were his wife's smiling face made him feel better.

"Little Marie told me somethin' that you told me more'n once long ago… She said I'm a fighter and that fighters fight."

Rocky's gaze returned to his wife's etched name on the headstone. "I'm a fighter Adrian… I gotta fight this last time. I know you probly don't like it much, but I havta fight. I need to get this beast out."

Rocky closed his eyes, his head bowed slightly and he murmured. "I gotta get the beast out."

…

A gentle wind rustled in the tree that usually held the folding chair, and the breeze hit the features of Rocky's battle worn face. A small smile appeared on his lips as he felt a tingle go up his back. His eyes opened as he felt an enormous wave of comfort, love and approval wash over him.

"I'm gonna get that beast out." He grinned, knowing precisely what it was that he had felt.

"Thanks Adrian. I love you too." He stood and kissed her stone softly.

Putting the chair away and walking away from the familiar grave, The Italian Stallion stood tall and held his head up high. Rocky Balboa was now ready to take on the greatest challenge of his life. He **was** going to prove himself, and he would do it because he had the love and support of both his son **and** his wife. The determination and confidence of that simple knowledge etched itself onto his face. Rocky was ready to go. He now had the Eye of the Tiger, and the beast was ready to be let out.

It may have been a trick of the wind, but as Rocky stepped out of the cemetery, he heard the gravely voice of his old friend and trainer call out from behind him.

"_Now go knock his block off, Rock!"_

The fighter turned his head slightly as he listened to the words of his mentor echo away through the trees, but he continued walking steadfastly towards his final fight, his face etched with calm determination.

"I will Mick… I will"

The End


End file.
